Who Will Be Presenting at
Festival of Words Week 2021?
Catherine Ryan Hyde
In addition to writing, Catherine has done a lot of professional public speaking. She was invited to the White House for the movie screening of Pay It Forward. Catherine loves to hike. The longest day hike that she ever did was the day she hiked from Yosemite Valley to the top of Cloud’s Rest and back. That’s about 22 miles and 5,900 feet of gain. It took her nearly 13 hours. Catherine has a dog name Ella who she got from the Humane Society. (Ella likes kayaking.) Seven years later, she adopted Jordan, a cat. (http://www.catherineryanhyde.com/)
Jordan Ifueko
Jordan is a Nigerian American writer who grew up eating fried plantains while reading comic books under a blanket fort. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their collection of Black Panther Funko Pops. Raybearer is her debut novel. (https://www.jordanifueko.com/)
Nate Powell
Nate was born in Little Rock, Arkansas; home to the Little Rock Nine. Little Rock, Arkansas) He began self-publishing at age 14, and graduated from School of Visual Arts in 2000. From 1999 to 2009, Powell worked full-time providing support for adults with developmental disabilities alongside his cartooning efforts. Powell has discussed his work at the United Nations, as well as on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, CNN, and Free Speech TV. His books have been placed on school curriculum in over 40 states. He is the first cartoonist ever to win the National Book Award.
(http://www.seemybrotherdance.org/)
Jewell Parker Rhodes
The driving force behind all of Jewell’s work is to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. Jewell has visited hundreds of schools across the country and is a regular speaker at colleges and conferences. Black Brother, Black Brother was named Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best 2020, and the New York Times bestseller Ghost Boys has garnered over 30 awards. Jewell is also the author of Towers Falling and Louisiana Girls’ Trilogy: Ninth Ward All of her books have won regional and national awards. (http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/)
Karol Ruth Silverstein
Karol writes all genres of children’s books and screenplays. Her debut young adult novel Cursed won the 2020 Schneider Family Book Award, which celebrates an artistic expression of the disability experience in books for children. Diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 13, Karol identifies as disabled since the age of 21, a shift that was, in many ways, an empowering one for her. Cursed is drawn from her experiences during that first tumultuous year of living with JA.Originally from Philadelphia, she now lives in West Hollywood. (https://www.karolruthsilverstein.com/)
In addition to writing, Catherine has done a lot of professional public speaking. She was invited to the White House for the movie screening of Pay It Forward. Catherine loves to hike. The longest day hike that she ever did was the day she hiked from Yosemite Valley to the top of Cloud’s Rest and back. That’s about 22 miles and 5,900 feet of gain. It took her nearly 13 hours. Catherine has a dog name Ella who she got from the Humane Society. (Ella likes kayaking.) Seven years later, she adopted Jordan, a cat. (http://www.catherineryanhyde.com/)
Jordan Ifueko
Jordan is a Nigerian American writer who grew up eating fried plantains while reading comic books under a blanket fort. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their collection of Black Panther Funko Pops. Raybearer is her debut novel. (https://www.jordanifueko.com/)
Nate Powell
Nate was born in Little Rock, Arkansas; home to the Little Rock Nine. Little Rock, Arkansas) He began self-publishing at age 14, and graduated from School of Visual Arts in 2000. From 1999 to 2009, Powell worked full-time providing support for adults with developmental disabilities alongside his cartooning efforts. Powell has discussed his work at the United Nations, as well as on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, CNN, and Free Speech TV. His books have been placed on school curriculum in over 40 states. He is the first cartoonist ever to win the National Book Award.
(http://www.seemybrotherdance.org/)
Jewell Parker Rhodes
The driving force behind all of Jewell’s work is to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. Jewell has visited hundreds of schools across the country and is a regular speaker at colleges and conferences. Black Brother, Black Brother was named Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best 2020, and the New York Times bestseller Ghost Boys has garnered over 30 awards. Jewell is also the author of Towers Falling and Louisiana Girls’ Trilogy: Ninth Ward All of her books have won regional and national awards. (http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/)
Karol Ruth Silverstein
Karol writes all genres of children’s books and screenplays. Her debut young adult novel Cursed won the 2020 Schneider Family Book Award, which celebrates an artistic expression of the disability experience in books for children. Diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 13, Karol identifies as disabled since the age of 21, a shift that was, in many ways, an empowering one for her. Cursed is drawn from her experiences during that first tumultuous year of living with JA.Originally from Philadelphia, she now lives in West Hollywood. (https://www.karolruthsilverstein.com/)
